This invention relates to a combined connector, and more particularly to a combined connector including a plurality of stacked housings each having terminal receiving chambers.
For example, a joint connector shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has been proposed as a combined connector of the type described above (see, for example, JP-A-6-181078). FIG. 9 is an exploded, perspective view of the related joint connector, and FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the joint connector taken along the line I-I of FIG. 9.
As shown in these Figures, the joint connector comprises three male connectors (housings) 51, 52 and 53 stacked together. Terminal receiving chambers are formed in each of the male connectors 51, 52 and 53, and female terminals 71, 72, 73 each fixedly secured to an end portion of a wire 61, 62, 63 are inserted and fitted respectively in the terminal receiving chambers of each male connector. The female terminals 71, 72, 73 are retained within the respective terminal receiving chambers by terminal retaining lances 81, 82, 83 for withdrawal prevention purposes.
A pair of retaining projections 93 and a pair of projection insertion holes 103 for connection to the male connector 52 are provided at a side wall of the male connector 53 facing the male connector 52, the retaining projections 93 being disposed adjacent to the projection insertion holes 103. On the other hand, retaining projection 92a are formed on a side wall of the male connector 52 facing the male connector 53, and are so arranged as to be opposed respectively to the projection insertion holes 103 in the male connector 53. Also, projection insertion holes 102 are formed in this side wall of the male connector 52, and are disposed adjacent to the retaining projections 92a, and are so arranged as to be opposed respectively to the retaining projections 93 of the male connector 53.
A pair of retaining projections 92b for connection to the male connector 51 are formed on a side wall of the male connector 52 facing the male connector 51, and are disposed adjacent to each other. Projection insertion holes 101 are formed in a side wall of the male connector 51 facing the male connector 52, and are so arranged as to be opposed respectively to the retaining projections 92b of the male connector 52. Constricted portions of the female terminals 71, 72 and 73 are disposed in registry with the projection insertion holes 101, 102 and 103, respectively, and the female terminals 71, 72 and 73 are retained respectively by the retaining projections 92b, 93 and 92a in a double manner.
However, in the above joint connector, the retaining projections 92b and 93 project upward (in the drawings) in a stacking direction Y1, while the retaining projections 92a project downward (in the drawings) in the stacking direction Y1. Therefore, the retaining projections 92a, 92b and 93 can be arranged on a common plane in the stacking direction Y1. In other words, the retaining projections 92b and 93 are offset with respect to the retaining projections 92b in a longitudinal direction Y3 of the female terminals 71, 72 and 73.
Therefore, when the constricted portions of the female terminals 71, 72 and 73 are disposed in registry with the projection insertion holes 101, 102 and 103 into which the respective retaining projections 92b, 93 and 92a are inserted, the distal ends of the female terminals 71 and 72 are offset with respect to the distal ends of the female terminals 73. In FIG. 10, the distal ends of the female terminals 73 are disposed rearwardly of the distal ends of the female terminals 71 and 72 in the longitudinal direction Y3. Therefore, mating male terminals to be fitted respectively into the female terminals 73 need to be made longer than mating male terminals to be fitted respectively into the female terminals 71 and 72. Namely, it has been necessary to prepare the male terminals for exclusive use for connection to the female terminals 73, and this is undesirable from the viewpoint of the cost.
JP-A-2004-335305 discloses a joint connector in which mating male terminals for fitting respectively into female terminals in male connectors have the same length. In this joint connector, however, the female terminals in an uppermost one of the stacked male connectors are not retained in a double manner, and it is feared that the female terminals in the uppermost male connector are withdrawn therefrom.